MICHIGAN GENEALOGY TRAILS
A Proud Part of
The Genealogy Trails History Group
 
 Volunteers Dedicated to Free Genealogy

We hope you have a great time visiting us at Michigan Genealogy Trails.
Our goal is to transcribe historical and genealogical data to put on our websites.  We do it with volunteers and we do it for free.

So let's all explore the places and areas of Michigan that our ancestors chose to settle to get a better understanding of Michigan.
It will be a step back in time as we get to know the people that created Michigan and formed it into the beautiful state it now is.



WE REGRET THAT WE ARE UNABLE
TO DO PERSONAL RESEARCH FOR YOU.

We don't live in Michigan so we don't have the resources,
but mostly we just don't have the time needed.

Michigan Information

Michigan was admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837.

The name "Michigan" is derived from a Chippewa Indian word "meicigama" meaning "great water" and refers to the Great Lakes which hug the shores of the State. Michigan is said to have been first discovered around 1610 and inhabited by the Indians. In the mid 1700's it was claimed by the French - but was ceded to the British until the Revolution when it became part of the United States but we didn't take full possession of it until 1796 and shortly thereafter it became part of the Northwest Territory. Then from 1800 to 1805 it was connected with the Ohio and the Indian Territories. The first American settlers began settling in Michigan about 1796, coming from England but it was not until about 1818 that an appreciable amount of settlers was noticed. 1818 was the first public land sales and the work on the erie Canal attracted many. The completion of the Canal in 1825 added stimula to the immigrants. Its about this time that many came to work on the road construction heading toward Chicago.
By 1840 the immigration increased to such an extent that about half of the southern peninsula was cultivated. From 1840 - 1890 there were tens of thousand of workers who came to work in the lumber and mining camps.

Visit the Surrounding States
Illinois	Indiana
Ohio	Wisconsin

 MAILING LIST

Join our Upper Midwest mailing list.  Our mailing lists are by regions - join as few or as many as you are interested in.
The UPPER MIDWEST mailing list is the place where we announce all our updates.
Our websites are updated regularly - so you won't want to miss anything.



We Thank Our Previous Hosts
for all their Work on these Michigan Sites
Nancy Bliven
*In memory of Christine Walters*

Also, with thanks to the memory of
Paul E. Petosky
who contributed many historical photographs to these websites




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